Presentation by Dr. Bheshem Ramlal

1. Opportunities for
Open Spatial Data
Bheshem Ramlal, Ph.D.
Department of Geomatics Engineering and Land
Management
The University of the West Indies
St. Augustine

2. Presentation Overview
• Introduction
• Spatial Data Development in Trinidad and
Tobago
• Open Spatial Data Access – Issues and
Prospects
• UWI’s role
• Conclusions

3. Introduction
• From its initial development in Canada in the
1960s, GIS has grown significantly to become
pervasive in almost all societies
• Globally, spatial data development is a multi-
billion dollar industry

4. GIS Worth -Global Estimates

5. Introduction
• With changes in ICT, spatial data have
become much more accessible to
users
• Initially most spatial data were not
accessible to the public.
• There has been a gradual move by
many countries from cost-recovery
policies to open access policies
• Move to develop the public
commons for Geospatial Data

6. ArcGIS Online

7. GEOSUR

8. IMAP Jamaica

9. Open Source Software

10. Open Source Software

11. GIS Development in
Trinidad and Tobago
• WASA • NEMA Tobago • MoWT
• TTEC • Forestry • LSA
• TTPOST • MFPLMR • HDC
• EMA • Police • MPESDGA
• IMA • SUATT • MNS
• TCPD • SSA • MSYA
• LSD • MoH • PoSCC
• LMD • CSO • TSTT
• PETROTRIN • MPA • TATT
• NGC • FSD
• MoLG • MoEEI
• ODPM • MoE

12. Data Sets Available
Roads and other transportation Landslides Underground Storage Tanks
networks Buildings Oceanography
Wetlands, Lagoons, Ponds, Communications Topography
Lakes
Network Coastline and Coastal Activities
Administrative Boundaries
Utilities Aerial Photos & satellite Imagery
Soils
Oil and Gas Facilities Survey Plans
Geology
Gas Stations Seismic Activities
Food Supply Networks
Watercourses Quarries
Public Safety Organizations
Flood Plains Recreation facilities and open
Health Care Providers spaces
Demographic Data
Public Health Facilities
National Parks/ Protected Areas
Water Quality
Existing Land Use
Watersheds
Cemeteries and cremation sites
Electoral Boundaries
Industrial Plants
Dumps
Emergency Op/ Disaster shelters
Meteorological
Educational Facilities
Vegetation
Sensitive Sites
WASA Installations and wells

13. Status of GIS Development
Status of Agencies No of Agencies
Interest in GIS development 31
GIS needs assessment completed 10
GIS implementation plan completed (document) 9
GIS training acquired 21
GIS database development initiated 19
GIS database completed 5
Enterprise GIS 8
Metadata Developed 2
Data Sharing Policy 5
Data and Spatial products available on website 4

19. Open Spatial Data: Issues
• Lack of Metadata
• No Metadata Standards
• Lack of Data Sharing Policies
• Lack of Accuracy Specifications

20. Open Spatial Data: Prospects
• Significant effort being made to develop
Enterprise GIS by government agencies
• Government moving towards the
development of national policy on Spatial
Data Infrastructure
• Technology becoming more available for the
sharing of spatial data in Trinidad and
Tobago

21. A Role for the DGELM
The UWI has had significant input in GIS
Development in Trinidad and Tobago
– The UWI has designed and delivered over
60 training courses in GIS to industry in the
last 15 years
– Certificate in GIS and a MSc Geo-
informatics programs delivered by UWI
– Provided consulting services for the design
and development of several enterprise
GIS for Government and Private
Sector organizations
– Set up the GIS Society of Trinidad
and Tobago

22. A Role for the DGELM
• Provide support and advice to stakeholder
with respect to policies, standards, and
technical requirements
• Conduct relevant research and develop
appropriate solutions
• Develop and make available spatial data
sets where possible
• Advocate for policy changes
• Support training needs of
stakeholders

23. Conclusions
• While extensive work has been done in the
development of spatial data sets most are not
available for open access to the public
• There is some movement by government
towards setting up a NSDI but this is still at a
very early stage of development
• There is much work to be done to convince
government to adopt open access policies
• The UWI has played a significant role in
making spatial data openly available